Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

I used a combo of two recipes, but the basis was Rachel Ray's version the only thing I did differently was to add 2 T Roasted red peppers and used dried Italian seasoning, because I didn't have any thyme. Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of the finished product, but I do have a pic from the site. My changes and notes are in red.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tin flat fillet of anchovies, drained, 6 or 7 fillets Don't omit this. The anchovies actually melt into the oil during cooking and they add a really good richness to the sauce

1 cup clam juice or chicken stock Chicken stock will add a buttery richness to the sauce and the clam juice will give a stronger clam flavor. I suggest using clam juice and adding a little chicken bouillon to the stock.

1 can (15 ounces) fancy whole baby clams I used two 10 oz cans with juice.

Directions

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan in a slow stream, red pepper flakes, garlic and anchovies and cook until anchovies melt into the oil. Add thyme, roasted red peppers and wine. Reduce wine 1 minute. Add clam juice or stock. At this point, taste your sauce and adjust your seasonings accordingly. This is pretty much what your finished product is going to taste like, so If the flavor of the wine is too strong, reduce it a little longer, if you think it needs more garlic or salt, add it. This is where I got the idea to add the chicken bouillon along with a little more butter. I also reduced it a little longer than the original recipe suggested. Stir in clams and lemon zest. Drain pasta. (Add the pasta a little at a time because depending on how much sauce you have, you may not need the entire 1lb) Add to skillet and toss with sauce 2 to 3 minutes, until pasta is al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce and flavor. Add parsley, pepper and salt, to your taste and serve with bread for mopping up remaining juices.